Closing Off The Storm
by XxAlicePotterCullenxX
Summary: It has been exactly one year since Edward left Bella. Would time heal the wounds he had inflicted upon her? Would she ever find the courage to move on and leave everything behind? BxE/BxJ One-Shot. A/N: This one was my entry to "It was a Dark and Stormy Night" Challenge @TA a couple of years back(09).


A/N: This one was my entry to **"It was a Dark and Stormy Night" Challenge ** TA a couple of years back (2009). Didn't win sadly, but I still loved writing it ^_^ Hope you enjoy it!

Summary

~*~  
It has been exactly one year since Edward left Bella.  
Would time heal the wounds he had inflicted upon her?  
Would she ever find the courage to move on and leave everything behind?  
Maybe...

~*~  
_Read to find out ^_^_

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing...not even the tittle...however I do own the plot!

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**Closing off the Storm**

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It was a dark and stormy night. In such darkness, Bella decided to change her life. Like every night since _he_left, she lay in bed alone.

That night, she craved to fall into a deep slumber, yet her attempts were futile. After many hours of tossing and turning, she finally drifted into a realm of pain, grief, hatred, and numbness.

Images of _him_ leaving her that dreadful day haunted her every thoughts and dreams. One would think they would lose their severity over time. Yet... they didn't. Tonight was especially unbearable. Bella wished she could rip her heart out of the cavity that masqueraded as a chest. Then the pain would cease once and for all. Yet no such luck would chance her path.

She found herself screaming at the top of her lungs when she was jerked out of her sleep. Her heart was going to explode. How could something that happened exactly a year ago feel as if had occurred the previous day? How could it still burn so lividly? These questions burned through her mind and wondered if she would ever heal.

A tear trickled down her cheek, falling onto the purple bed spread. Sitting up, Bella attempted to pull herself together. It was hard to do. She had to hold herself tight as if she were trying to prevent her body from breaking into a million pieces.

Through a curtain tears, she looked out the window as she had every night for the past year. It was useless to hope that the past year had been a terrible nightmare, and _he_ was there to comfort her. She still hoped that _he_would come through her small window like _he_ was used to do. Why couldn't _he_ tell her that everything was going to be alright anymore?

Bella knew better than anyone that that he…_Edward_… was never going to come back. Getting up from her bed, she picked up a pair of jeans that were lying on the floor. She put on her sneakers, and walked toward the window. Bella was determined to do something about this pain that radiated through her. She wanted so badly to heal the wound _he_ had inflicted on her. Ending it was the only option.

She climbed out her window. An old oak was conveniently situated not three feet from the house. _He _had used that many a time before it ended. She was used to doing this now. In fact, on nights like this she would mount her motorcycle and drive with no precise destination in mind. It was her way of running away from everything but somehow everything managed to catch up to her.

Bella walked toward her bike, and began to stroll with her motorcycle until she felt it was a safe distance away from the house. Goodness knows what would happen if Charlie heard the noise!

Mounting her bike, Bella brought it to life. She sped her way to a virtually unknown spot. The rain started to fall in heavy globules. She accelerated to leave it behind. Bella could barely see through the rain, but she pressed on. The shower kept hitting her like tiny pebbles. Each one of them reminded her of what used to be. Of what could have been…and of what now is.

It didn't take long for her to come to a stop. She was now near the cliff that Jacob had shown her. Once she was almost at the edge of the cliff, Bella looked straight ahead, and saw nothing, but the fierce storm hurtling down in torrents. The waves of the ocean grew increasingly wild and unruly. Was she ready to do something as drastic as this?

_No._ A faint voice inside her head begged. _Bella, please don't._ The voice was so familiar, and yet so distant. However, it was not the comfort she needed. The unbearable pain was now bearable. Oh, how she would do anything to hear _that voice_ one more time.

She slowly walked to the edge. This was it. This would end everything, once and for all. Something stopped her once more.

_Bella don't. You promised._

"I know. But you promised too, and look where that got us." She whispered back.

Bella was sick and tired of pretending that she was okay. She was tired of denying how she truly felt. She couldn't hold herself together any longer. She wouldn't let anyone see the tears she cried.

Before she could take that one final step, she felt a strong set of arms wrap around her waist, and pull her away from the edge. The two bodies tumbled to the ground. Bella realized she couldn't hold onto the memories that caused her so much pain. She had to let go.

"Bells, what were you thinking?" He asked her knowing there wasn't going to be an answer. She hid her face in his warm chest and let out all of her pent up cries. She clung to him for dear life.

Time went by. The storm worsened as Bella cried. They both lay on the ground, neither of them wanting to let go. He placed one of his warm fingers under her chin, and tilted her head up to look at her. Bella's eyes were bloodshot from all the crying and he noticed the dark shadows under her eyes. They showed that lack of sleep had taken its toll over the long months. He rubbed his fingers across her cheek. With her eyes she pled for him to understand. He did. Never wanting to let go, he hugged her tight.

After her cries became sobs, he whispered in her ear, "Promise that you will never do this again. I don't know what I would do without you in my life." His voice broke.

Bella nodded in understanding. She leaned into his warm embrace, not wanting to let go. She was afraid she would fall apart. Bella knew she was being selfish, but she needed this. She needed to be reassured that everything was going to be alright. He did just that.

It was hours before he realized that time was upon them. He leaned in, and kissed the top of Bella's head before helping both of them up.

"We better get going. Charlie will probably be wondering where you are." She complied, holding firmly onto the boy.

Soon, they arrived home. Bella climbed up her tree, and he followed shortly. After she changed into dry clothes, settling into bed seemed like the best option.

He stayed by her side until she fell asleep. Kissing her cheek once more, he snuck out her window.

Hours later, Bella was awoken by a bright stream of light coming through the glass. A genuine smile crept onto her lips as she arose from the tangle of covers.

The pain was gone. This was how a bird freed from a cage must feel. She was sure the pain was now gone for good. From now on, her life would be different. She would be happy.

She needed to do one more thing to put everything behind her once and for all. Walking to her window, she courageously did the one thing she swore she never would do.

She closed it.

~o~o~o~o~oTHE ENDo~o~o~o~o~


End file.
